Thera 1.44: Sanu
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(44):Sanu Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =44. Sānu= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāvatthī, in the family of a lay-follower, after the father had left his home. The mother, naming him Sānu, brought him when he was seven years old to the bhikkhus(monks) for initiation into monkhood, deeming she would thus ensure for him supreme happiness. Now Sānu, the Novice became very learned, a teacher of doctrine, and practised in the jhāna of bliss, being beloved by gods and men. And as we know from the Sānu,-Sutta (Saɱyutta Nikāya, i. 208) his mother, in his previous birth, was a Yakkha.1Now as time went on Sānu lost his intellectual discernment and grew dissatisfied, and longed to go a-roaming. Then his previous mother perceived this, and warned his human mother saying: 'Your son has a fancy to roam, for that reason made him mobilize himself. Tell him what the Yakkhas say: Do not do of evil, open or concealed, If you do evil now or will do later, you will not escape from sorrow, even though you flee.2 Thus saying, the Yakkha-mother disappeared. But when the human mother heard, she was overwhelmed with grief. Then Sānu the novice, taking his robe and bowl, set out early and came to his mother. At sight of her sorrow he said: 'Mother, why do you weep?' When she told him why, he said this verse: ---- 44 Mataɱ vā amma rodanti yo vā jīvaɱ na dissati|| Jīvantaɱ maɱ amma passantī kasmā maɱ amma rodasī' ti.|| || ---- 44 Mother, they weep for the dead, or the living they may not see. But for him, O mother, who lives, who is here, why mournest you me? ---- His mother answered him from the Suttas, "This is death, O bhikkhus(monks), that one should reject the training and turn again to lower things,'3 and with this verse: They mourn for son who lies dead, or him Who is alive but whom they no more see. And him they mourn, who though he did renounce The world, my son, did here come again, For though he live again, yet is he dead. Drawn forth from burning embers, O my dear, Do you on embers wish to fall again? When he heard her, anguish seized on Sānu the Novice, and making firm his insight, he soon won arahantship(enlightenment). And upon that thinking, 'My victory is due to that verse,' he repeated it as his saying(gatha).4 ---- 1 The Yakkhas, denizens of the jungle, and man-eaters; conceivably the legendary survivors of aboriginals, but, as here, invested with more than human intuition. 2 Saɱy., i. 209; Udāna, v. 4 ; Sisters, verses 246, 247. 3 Saɱy., ii. 271; Sisters, verses 246, 247; the verse is from Saɱy. i. 209. 4 The Dhammapada Commentary, discussing verse 826, has, as its subject, Sānu and his mother. His own question was the penultimate, though not the proximate, cause of his viotory. ---- 1.5-4 44 Commentary on the stanza of =Sānu Thera= 4,1. The stanza starting with: “Mataṃ vā Amma rodanti,” constitutes that of the venerable Thera Sānu. What is the origin? He also, having done devoted service towards fromer Buddhas, accumulating merit conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths in this and that existence, made an offering of water to the Blessed One Siddhattah, for washing His face, ninety four aeons (kappa) ago, from now. Indeed, the Master was desirious of washing (His) hands and legs at the time of taking meals. He noted well the requirement (ākāra) of the Master and provided (upanesi) the water. Having washed His hands and feet and taken His meal, the Master was desirious of rinsing (vikkhāletuṃ) His mouth and washing His face. That also he knew and offered water for face and mouth (mukha). The Master rinsed His mouth and washed His face and had His cleaning of mouth and face finished. In this manner, the Blessed One, out of compassion for him, agreed to (sādiyi) his rendering of service (to Him). On account of that act of merit, he was reborn in the divine world, and having done deeds of merit, now and then, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and took conception in the house of a certain deveotee in Sāvatthi, when this Buddha arose. Even when he had entered his mother’s womb, his faather went away from home (pavasaṃ gato); the lady devotee, with the lapse of ten months, gave birth to a son and gave him the name Sānu. When he grew up in due course, the mother made that son who was still seven years of age to join the Order of monks in the presence of the bhikkhus(monks), saying to herself thus:– “In this way, this one will grow up safely (anantarāyo) and become sure (accanta) sharer (bhāgī) of happiness (sukha). He came to be well-known as “Sānusāmaṇera (novice Sānu)” a teacher of truth (dhamma) endowed with duties done (vatta) and much learning. He became near and dear to and fond favourite of divine and human-beings because of his feeling of loving kindness towards living beings; thus, everything (about him) should be understood in the manner which had come in the Sānu sutta. 4,2. His mother in his past existence was reborn in the womb of an ogress. The ogress got fond of her (mānenti) having becoem much respect-minded saying to themselves thus: “This one is the mother of the Thera Sānu.” As time passed in this manner, by way of making manifest the disadvantage of the state of an ordinary common category (puthujjana), one day there arose to Sānu the most mental desire to return to layman’s life (vibbhamitukāmatācittaṃ) unwisely (ayoniso) emerging (ummujjantassa) from the condition of his being wisely mindful (yoniso manasikārābhāvato). Having come to know of it his ogress-mother informed his human-mother thus:– “Your son Sānu had provoked his mental desire to roll back to layman’s life.” Therefore, you rether say to him thus:– ‘There is (āsi) reproachable fault (vajja) to wakeful Sāmu; this is the verdict (vacana) of the ogress. Whether in public (āvi) or in private (raho), do not do any evil deed. Should you have done, or if you will do, evil deed, you will not escape from painful suffering (dukkha) even if you run away (palāyato) flying up (uppacca). 4,3. Having, however, said in this manner, the ogress nother disappeared even there. The human-mother, on the other hand, having heard about it became full of worry and anxiety and afflicted with mental malady (cetodukkha). Then the novice Sānu, dressed himself at day-break, took his bowl and robe, went towards the presence of his mother, whom he saw weeping and asked thus:– “Mother! On account of what are you weeping”? When her reply was made: “On that account of his,” he uttered a stanza starting with “Mataṃ vā amma rodanti, yo vā jīvaṃ nadissati,” for his mother. 44. The meaning of the stanza is: Anna is to be construed thus:– Either relatives or friends weep, namely, over either a relation or friend; mataṃ, commotes dead; due to being dead; rodanti means they weep, because (that friend or relation) had gone to the other world; yo vā means or whoever, either a relative or friend; jīvaṃ means living; na dissati means is not seen, because of his having gone to another sphere (desantata); it may be with reference to that person (taṃ vā uddissa) people cry (rodanti); both of these (circumstances) do not exist in me; thus being the case, jīvitaṃ means living, being alive, (dharamānaṃ), maṃ means me, me who am standing in front of you (purato ṭhitaṃ); passantī kasamā amma rodasi, means: seeing (me) mother! Why do you weep? There does not exist but any reason for you weeping with reference (uddissa) to me. 44,1. On having heard what her son said, his mother uttered two stanzas pointing out that the giving up of monk-hood amounts of death in the discipline of the holy noble (ariya) in conformity with (anusārena) the authentic words of Buddha in the sutta piṭaka (suttapada). “O Son! People weep either over the dead, or over one whose living is not to be seen. Again, O Son! People weep alternatively (vā) weep over him also, who having, however, given up (cajitvāna) comes back here again; moreover, that person is indeed, dead while still living (jīvaṃ). O dear son! Having risen up from ashes, you want to fall down towards the embers.” 44,2. There, Kāme cajitvāna is to be construed thus:– Having forsaken the basic sensual pleasures (vatthukāma) by means of the disposition (ajjhāsaya) of renunciation; that also should be understood by way of temporary dispelling of sensual desire (kāma) in depravity (kilesa kāma). Indeed, monkhood, here, signifies (adhippeto) all-round sacrifice of sensual desire (kāma). Punarāgacchate idha means he comes but again here to his home; she says with reference to (sandhāya) her son’s desire to return to the world (hīnāyāvattanaṃ). Taṃ vā pi means: he who having become a monk forsakes the Order (vibbhamati); over such a person as him also, alternatively, people like me weep as if he is dead. If asked: Why? Puna jīvaṃ mato hi so means: He, who lives later after he had forsaken th Order of monks, is but dead under the circumstance of his quality being dead (guṇamaraṇa). Now, in order to provoke distinctive remorse (savisesasaṃvegaṃ) in her son (tassa), such a statement as starting with “kukkuḷā (from embers)” was made. The meaning of it is:– Having become as if having been burning (ādittaṃ) day and night, and because it stood burning (ṭahanaṭṭhena) the condition of being a householder (gihibhāvā) resembles the purgatory of embers (kukkuḷa). Kukkuḷa means the ember-like household life. Out of compassion for my son (anukampantiyā), ubbhato means I raised my son up, I pulled out from the state of a layman’s life; tāta means O Sānu! Kukkuḷaṃ patituṃ icchasi means you are desirous of falling down into the embers. 44,3. Having heard what his moter said, the novice Sānu became remorseful, provoked clear insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Therefore it has been stated in the Apadāna:– “On havign seen the mealing monk pure (vippessannā) and clean (anāvīla), I brought water in a jar and offered it to Siddhattha. Today I am free from impurity, devoid of dirt with doubt dispelled. Pleasant fruition would come into being for me who was reborn in any existence. It was ninetyone aeons (kappa) ago from now that I made my offering of water. I do not remember any evil existence (duggati). This is the fruitful result of water charity. Sixty one aeons (kappa) ago from now, I was but a single world-king Vimala, the pure, endowed with seven sovereign gems and mighty vigour. All depravity of mine had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. 44,5. Having however attained Arahantship, the Thera recited again that self-same stanza in the manner of joyous utterance saying to himself under the influence of these stanzas:– “There arose my effort to gain clear insight (vipassanā) and my attainment of Arahantship. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Sānu is complete. **********oOo********* ----